Clans of the Magic Kingdom
by MagickyMuffin
Summary: Hundreds of years into the future, twolegs have fled into outer space, labeling the now-empty Earth "unsuitable for sustaining life". That's what they thought, but many species of life still live on this desolate planet, those that were left behind. Including the beloved pet cats, which have reproduced to an enormous scale and now thrive in unexpected places without their owners.
1. Prologue

**I own nothing except my OCs.**

**Warriors (c) Erin Hunter.**

**Disney World and everything in it (c) Disney.**

Excited murmurs rose up from a scattered group of feral cats, their multicolored pelts shadowed against the dim moonlight. They were surrounding the Partners statue, looking up with gleaming eyes at a lone figure who addressed them. The greenish-black sky looked slightly more polluted than usual, but it was nothing the cats couldn't handle. They have adapted to city life, and are used to breathing in harmful chemicals and eating rubbish that passes smoothly through their systems. The feline species has grown and evolved over time; they have become bigger, stronger, and can take anything the world destroyed by twolegs could throw at them. Precisely what was happening now.

Orlando, Florida, United States.

A place once overpopulated by the unintelligent beings known as twolegs, was now overrun by many different creatures. Now that the twolegs have fled the Earth, blasted off into the sky never to be seen again, it was time for other species to take over. Deciding against the polluted beaches of Miami, or the trashed streets of Kissimmee, a makeshift Clan of cats looked all over for a new place to call home. The Magic Kingdom in Disney World seemed to be the perfect place.

The theme park was about one hundred years old, and in those years humans have maintained it and kept it pretty, neat and clean. This was a special place, said to be shrouded in mystery. What used to be a place overrun by tourists from all over the world was now an abandoned, albeit somewhat spooky kind of place. The cats would thrive here. They could eat mice attracted by old food and trash, and could hide in the tall buildings and structures.

A time ago, trained cats have been used as mousers around the park, to get rid of pesky rodents that came out at night in huge numbers. One of those cats stood here now, addressing the small group. He was fairly large in stature, and had rippling black stripes down his silver body. His pale green eyes gleamed excitedly, and his powerful voice boomed and echoed from where he stood on the base next to Walt's and Mickey's metallic feet.

"Take a look around you. This territory is vast. The twolegs are gone. Now _we _shall take over!"

Cheers rose up from every cat. This would be a great home. The jungles of Adventureland, the rocky slopes of Frontierland, the mazes of Fantasyland, and the fantastic structures of Tomorrowland. They would be the species to take over now; not the twolegs, not the dogs, not anything else.

A stunning she-cat now rose to her paws, her long cream and white fur brushing against the pavement on the ground. "This is an excellent territory, Captain, and you're right, it is vast. Perhaps a little too big for us though, don't you think?"

The tom called Captain looked down at the she-cat in confusion. "Too big, Dream? What do you mean? As more cats join us, our numbers will grow even more."

Dream paused with a sharp intake of breath. "What I mean is, with such a big territory it will be chaos. If you intend to be a ruler by yourself, it might be difficult for you to keep track of the numbers. Just hear me out- why don't we split up into Clans, just like in the old days? Like the stories our mother told us?"

Dream, being Captain's littermate, spent most of her life with him, and they shared many memories together. There were hardly any cats who would dare argue against Captain, but Dream knew that despite her brother's appearance, he wasn't as intimidating as he seemed. He was really a kind and respectable tom, even though he often acted like an authoritarian.

"Clans, like Thunder, Wind, River and Shadow?" Captain's interest grew.

"Yes. Each Clan could take a section of the territory for their own." Dream looked around at the other interested faces. "I would be willing to lead one, if some of you will have me as a leader."

"I will," a ginger tom spoke up from the crowd. "I have known you for a few years now, Dream. You are a natural leader."

The she-cat blinked gratefully at the tom and looked at the large Castle that rose high into the sky. It was so tall that the cats could not see its top, as the cloud pollution was too heavy. Beyond the Castle was the section she would soon claim as her own.

"We shall settle in Fantasyland," Dream announced. "...FantasyClan."

Captain nodded. "Then I shall take Adventureland; I do well in the trees and swamps. Anyone who has these qualities also should follow me."

Nobody argued with him, for most of the cats here knew that he was practically born a leader. After all, he was the one who had lead them to Magic Kingdom. A few walked up to join him near the statue, while others walked over to stand beside Dream.

A sleek, well-groomed black she-cat strode into the center to make herself heard. "What about Frontierland?" Her voice was feminine but strong. "I come from the mountains so that would be perfect territory for me. Would anyone argue with me leading FrontierClan?" She pointed with a swish of her tail at the rocky peaks that could just barely be seen past the horizon of the Castle.

Some cats murmured uneasily at this sudden democracy, but a few of the black she-cat's friends and relations walked over to join her.

"You will make a fine leader, Wild," Dream purred in agreement. Captain said nothing, but nodded.

"That leaves Tomorrowland," a large white tom rumbled. He had a rather odd apearance, a stumpy tail, and duo-colored eyes: one green and one blue. "It's made of mainly twoleg things but I'm sure it'll make a good territory."

"Are you wanting to be the leader of TomorrowClan, Theory?" Wild smirked. It was quite the coincidence that the leaders of each Clan knew each other well.

Theory nodded. "I guess so." He was a bit of an explorer, having been to Tomorrowland many times, even while the twolegs were still around. Space Mountain was one of his favorite buildings to hide in, and he loved the unrealistic architecture.

"There you have it," Captain announced to the remaining cats. "We have four leaders, and four Clans. You may choose one to join, or choose to leave Magic Kingdom by dawn." He looked at his fellows. "Let's choose boundaries, shall we?"

The other three leaders nodded in agreement.

"Yes, but remember, after tomorrow we will be in our separate Clans," Wild pointed out, yellow eyes gleaming. "We will not be following you into unknown turf anymore, Captain."

Captain studied the dark she-cat. "Yes, I know that," he meowed carefully.

"From now on," Wild added, "we will have our different cultures and routines. No Clan shall set a pawstep on my territory without my permission."

Wild then began to make her way northwest, towards the mountains of Frontierland, while her small group of followers trailed behind her. This was it; everyone was going their separate ways. Dream traveled northeast to Fantasyland, Theory southeast to Tomorrowland, and Captain west to Adventureland. The Clans of Magic Kingdom have begun.


	2. Allegiances

**Allegiances**

(updated 12/26/14)

(The characters are subject to change as the story goes on.)

* * *

><p><em><strong>AdventureClan<strong>_

**Leader:**

**Captain **- A muscular silver tabby tom with bold black stripes and pale green eyes. The eldest of the leaders. Dream's brother.

**Deputy:**

**Hawk** - Crafty, dark tortoiseshell tom with bright yellow eyes.

**Shaman:**

**Jinx** - Pale, ghostly-white she-cat with albinism. Her tabby markings are just a pale gray. Her eyes are an odd, light pink. She is rarely seen by her Clan and she spends most of her time in the shadows of the Haunted Mansion.

**Warriors:**

**Blue** - Blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes and a timid temperament. (Apprentice: Mouse)

**Panther **- Big black and silver tom with light amber eyes. (Apprentice: Gold)

**Vine **- Light brown she-cat with light green eyes.

**Apprentices:**

**Mouse **- Small black and white tom with brown eyes and a long, skinny tail.

**Gold** - Honey-brown tom with yellow eyes.

* * *

><p><em><strong>FrontierClan<strong>_

**Leader:**

**Wild **- A sleek-furred, ambitious, skinny black she-cat with barely-visible gray markings and dazzling yellow eyes.

**Deputy:**

**Pine** - A tall, laid-back, black and white tom with forest green eyes. Wild's brother.

**Shaman:**

**Grim** - Skinny siamese tom with very dark points and bright blue narrowed eyes. Rather anti-social and prefers to be alone with his thoughts.

**Warriors:**

**Bear** - Heavyset brown tabby tom. A good fighter but somewhat lazy. (Apprentice: Fox)

**Big Thunder **- Large, sandy brown tom with yellow eyes and thick fur. Named after the mountain and his large size. (Apprentice: Splash)

**Soar** - Large white tom with bright blue eyes and dark gray paws and ears. (Apprentice: Briar)

**Apprentices:**

**Splash **- A pale gray and white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes and a bushy tail. Former kittypet. A good swimmer, giving her the name.

**Fox** - Russet colored skinny tom with a white underbelly and tail tip. A good hunter. Splash's good friend.

**Briar** - Short-tempered dark brown she-cat with russet colored spots and orange eyes. Fox's sister.

**Queens:**

**Honey** - A pale cream she-cat with amber eyes and a belly heavy with kits.

* * *

><p><em><strong>FantasyClan<strong>_

**Leader:**

**Dream **- Pretty, long-furred cream and white she-cat with deep blue eyes. Known for her ability to keep calm in dangerous situations. Captain's sister.

**Deputy:**

**Petey **- A light ginger tom with yellow markings and green eyes. A very good fighter.

**Shaman:**

**Taboo** - Dark brown and black tom with glowing amber eyes. Is most friendly of the shamans and the only one who prefers living in camp, though he visits the Mansion often enough to see the other shamans.

**Warriors:**

**Tigerlily** - Brown marbled tabby she-cat with purple-blue eyes. (Apprentice: Clouds)

**Ibis - **White she-cat with black-tipped ears and brown eyes.

**Apprentices:**

**Clouds** - Fluffy white tom with gray patches and bright silver eyes.

**Queens:**

**Winnie **- Light yellow tabby she-cat with dark amber eyes. Very kind to everyone, but quick to defend her Clan and kits in times of trouble. (Kits: Ozzie and Rosie)

* * *

><p><em><strong>TomorrowClan<strong>_

**Leader:**

**Theory **- A tall, odd-looking white tom with a stumpy tail and long skinny legs. One eye is green and the other is blue. Rather skittish at times. Uses logic and reason to fuel all decisions, can be bind to feelings of others at times. A bit oblivious.

**Deputy:**

**Parade **- Rather small calico she-cat with bright yellow eyes. Always cheerful and loves to help her leader and Clan out. Respected among every Clan for her optimistic nature. (Apprentice: Pixel)

**Shaman:**

**Phase** - Pale silver tom with darker gray markings, and pale purple eyes. He was born with three legs though he is so agile most cats would never notice it. He is known for his love of mischief and riddles. He no longer lives at camp with his clanmates finding clan life rather dull, and lives his life at the Haunted Mansion.

**Warriors:**

**Ray** - Dark ginger tom with pale yellow eyes and white paws and chest. (Apprentice: Cosmic)

**Stella **- Aggressive silver and white she-cat with blue eyes. (Apprentice: Pixel)

**Apprentices:**

**Cosmic** - A laid-back black tom with white patches and strange lilac eyes. His tail is pure white. Theory's only son.

**Pixel** - A small silver tom with tiny black patches that almost look like little pixels. Amber eyes.


	3. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

_...Where is everyone?_

A young she-cat, seven moons old, coughed viciously and shook the cold rain off her silver-and- white tabby pelt. Even in the tropical Florida, January rain would give anyone a chill. She sat on the tallest branch of a willow tree, looking down at her former house, which was now dark and abandoned. She remembered noticing her housefolk acting strange about a month ago... they were packing their things at a brisk pace and making enough noise to scare her off. The she-cat had hid in the woods behind the house for several days, ignoring her family when they had called her name numerous times. They ran back and forth, looking for her, but she had been too nervous to come out of the woods. For days she hid there, without any meals, listening to the chaos her housefolk were making.

They were packing, she knew that, but for what? A winter vacation, perhaps? Even though she could understand a bit of housefolk talk, she had no idea what was going on. The housefolk didn't seem happy, though, so they couldn't be going on vacation. They were more distressed than anything, which worried her severely. Something terrible was happening, that was for sure, and they were going somewhere.

Realizing this, the she-cat made her way out of hiding and entered the house through the cat door, deciding she should be there at least to comfort them. What else could a pet do? But they were no longer there. Everything in the house was gone. Nothing remained except the old furniture, and a large bowl of her kittypet food.

Even though she was starving, she didn't eat it, for she was too worried about what had happened and where her family had gone. She raced up and down the stairs, searching frantically, but everything was quiet. Even the robot butler, the latest and greatest technology in this proud house, was not here.

The she-cat sobbed, and miserably sat on her haunches.

_Why did they leave me all alone?_

She left the abandoned house, and for a whole week she wandered aimlessly, traveling south to nowhere, looking around at the changes that had occurred in such a short amount of time. Not only were her housefolk gone, but there was no sign of twolegs at all, anywhere. No scents, no tracks, nothing. Everyone was gone, except the occasional rodent running around lost or skinny dogs digging through the trash. Animals were still here, but no twolegs, and this was very confusing to the young she-cat.

Her belly growled furiously at her, demanding something, anything to fill the empty void. She had eaten her kittypet food back at home eventually, but that seemed like an eternity ago by now. Maybe she could hunt? She had practiced on the birds back home occasionally, but had never successfully made a catch. It was definitely worth a try, right?

After about an hour of tasting the air and tracking a small creature, probably a vole, she found herself deep in the swamps. It was rare to find wild, undeveloped land, but here she was, knee-deep in wet grass surrounded by marsh and tall dark trees. It was disgusting to her, but she was determined to catch this vole, and finally followed the scent to a large hollow log.

Mouth watering, she tiptoed around the log, searching for the entrance. Her meal was definitely in there. Her blue eyes gleamed and excitement coursed through her body up to her tail-tip. There was no escape for it now, but she reminded herself mentally that she had to be very careful before entering the log. Something was odd... even though she had tracked this rodent for so long and ignored every other scent around her, she picked up a trace of something else in the log. Something... hunting the vole too? Another cat!

A brown shape suddenly burst from the log, roughly knocking the she-cat out of the way. She was startled for a moment, but composed herself, and looked over to glare at the rude hunter. It was another she-cat, brown-furred with orange patches. She had amber eyes that stared angrily at her, and in her mouth was the limp body of the vole.

"Get out of the way!" The stranger growled through fur. "What are you, mouse-brained? Staring blankly into the log like that?"

The kittypet had never heard the term 'mouse-brained' before. Her heart was beating fast, and she was about to retort, but found that after a long time of not speaking her voice had not come easily to her.

The brown cat continued to glare at her, and was preparing to leave before the tabby made herself heard.

"I was tracking that... for a _long time_!" she hissed rustily, and instantly regretted it. This cat was definitely feral, and probably highly aggressive. The kittypet shrank where she stood, as if that would take back what she had said.

Instead of getting her ears clawed like she expected, the other she-cat put the vole down to argue with her instead. "Yeah, but look who caught it. _Me_. I would tell you to get lost, but I can't since this isn't Clan territory. So I'm just going to take my vole and leave, got that?"

"...Clan territory?" Another term the kittypet didn't understand.

"You _must_ be mouse-brained!" The brown cat laughed. "...'_Clan territory_'?" she mocked her in a pitiful voice. "What's your name, or is it actually Mouse-Brain?"

_My name? _She had almost forgotten that she had one. It was a kittypet name, one she was thoroughly embarrassed about, and was not going to repeat to a stranger. Her mind raced. Now was a time to start over. She was going to create a new identity for herself. _Think. _A frog croaked in the distance, and she heard it jump into the water.

"Splash," the kittypet said suddenly, and liking the sound of it a little. "Splash is my name."

"Like Splash Mountain?" The brown cat sat down and scratched one ear. "Weird, because you're not in FrontierClan."

Splash was completely dumbfounded. "I don't know about those things you're talking about," she mewed cautiously.

The brown cat studied her seriously. "You mean, you're not a Clan cat at all?"

"No."

"You're... a kittypet? Or what?"

"...Kittypet."

At this the Clan cat laughed. "Then what are you doing near Magic Kingdom? If anyone from my Clan finds you they'll probably chase you out. Luckily for you I'm not doing that, just talking to you." She suddenly got to her paws. "Why _am_ I talking to you? I gotta get home."

"Wait! Could I come to your home with you?" Splash burst out hastily. To her this probably sounded desperate, or rude, but she didn't care, she was desperate. "If... that's okay. My housefolk abandoned me..."

She might have expected sympathy, or something different than the reaction she got.

"You wouldn't like it," meowed the brown cat simply. She picked up her vole and ran in the opposite direction.

_What the heck? _Splash thought. She stood alone once more, in the marsh beside the hollow log. _I guess I blew it. _


	4. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

Tracking and chasing down a wildcat through the swamp was no easy matter. She moved so fast, she was just a blur before next thing Splash knew, she was several feet ahead of her. On the other hand, this undeveloped land was fairly small so her scent wasn't all that hard to follow.

Splash didn't take long on the decision to follow said wildcat to this "Magic Kingdom", or whatever it was called. The former kittypet was lost, starving, and alone. This was the closest she would come to civilization (or the wildcat equivalent) so she had better seize this opportunity while she could.

Splash discovered that the water didn't bother her as much as she had previously thought. Sure it was a little green, but the thick humid air was almost choking and this water helped her cool down. _At least my new name is appropriate, _she thought. _I'm more alligator than cat now. _

Thinking of alligators... were there any lurking around here? They weren't one of the extinct animals, were they? Panicking, the tabby looked around her, and scrambled out of the water onto a slimy log. Panting for a moment, she stopped and tasted the air, and catching the brown she-cat's scent, confirmed that she was going the right way. Actually... she could make out a clearing in the distance.

_Must be almost there, _Splash thought with anticipation. _I wonder what kinds of cats I'll meet. Feral, or just obnoxious like that brown she-cat?_

She didn't dwell on it any longer. As she slowly approached the clearing, she could not take her eyes of a tall mountain peak standing out between the trees. At least, she thought it was a mountain; she had never actually seen one in real life. It was reddish-brown, and loomed over her, casing a shadow that blocked the miserable afternoon sun.

It was stunning; Splash had never expected stone to reach for the sky like that. There was a tattered fence that lay between the clearing and the mountain, and through the ivy covered chain-links she could see what looked like railroad tracks. She didn't quite know what to make of it. Was this the Magic Kingdom?

"Do you like it?" The voice of the cat whom she had been tracking all this time made Splash jump. "That's Big Thunder Mountain."

Splash blinked at her as she approached, trying to think of what to say.

The Clan cat padded closer and stood in front of her. "Why did you follow me?"

"Why did you _leave_ me?" Splash retorted. "I asked you if I could come to your home."

"I said you wouldn't like it. Magic Kingdom is for Clan cats, not kittypets." The Clan cat flicked her russet tail.

Splash scoffed. "I'm not a kittypet anymore. And by the way, I told you my name but you never told me yours."

"You don't need to know."

"That's a little rude."

There was a pause. "It's Briar. Happy?"

"Yes."

With a roll of her amber eyes, Briar turned to pick up her prey, and started towards the tall fence. Splash just stared as Briar gave a huge leap and was suddenly balanced gracefully at the top. "You coming or what?" she mumbled through fur and jumped down on the other side. "You said you wanted to see my home."

Spash was a little joyful now, but hesitated before following her. She climbed clumsily up and over the fence, almost getting her tail tangled in the ivy. Not as beautiful of a landing, but she made it.

Briar followed the railroad tracks for a while before jumping onto the rails, balancing on those as she walked, supposedly showing off for her new acquaintance. Splash trotted close behind, staring in awe at her surroundings.

"Those aren't real animals, right?" she gasped, gesturing with her striped tail at a four-legged horned creature standing on one of the rocks. As she spoke she spotted two more identical animals on the other side of the tracks, standing rigid and lifeless.

"What, those bighorn sheep?" Briar turned to look, but didn't stop moving. "Mouse-brain, of course not. Those are animatronics."

Animawhat? Splash didn't bother repeating that word. She guessed it meant, 'lifeless'.

"Those bones aren't real," Briar continued, pointing to a large white ribcage above their heads. The tracks went straight through it, and there was a large skull in front of them as the tracks made a sharp turn. "Neither is the gold in those minecarts. And neither is that bathtub."

Splash turned to look at the bathtub, spinning around endlessly in glassy fake water. She was a little confused by why these things were here, but did not question and further.

Their path was now suddenly blocked by an actual train. The cats jumped off the tracks and climbed nearby stairs into a large building-like structure that was wide and open. There were two trains on opposite sides, on split tracks that connected into one. Splash gazed at them, wondering if they ever moved.

"This used to be a ride," Briar explained, as if reading her thoughts. "The trains used to run really fast, but never actually left the tracks. Or so I've heard... I've never actually seen it myself."

"That's pretty cool," Splash meowed, still staring in wonder.

Briar pricked her ears at a rustling sound in the distance. "Keep your guard up," she sounded serious. "There might be cats from my Clan around here. I don't know how they'll react-"

"Who is this?" an unknown voice hissed. Startled, the two she-cats spun around and were met whisker-to-whiskers with a huge white tomcat.


	5. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

His tail flicked back and forth but his posture was calm. He slowly sheathed his claws as soon as he spotted Briar, his cyan eyes flickering in recognition. However, he still glared warily at Splash. The young she-cat was a stranger to this old tom, and although she didn't wear her collar anymore, she had kittypet scent still on her fur. Splash thought he seemed a little _too_ hostile, but tried to see it from his point of view. _Why wouldn't he be cautious?_ _He's just defending his territory. I did the same for my old housefolk. _She decided to be as polite as she could be, rather than returning the negative vibes, to show that she was not a threat and worth the tom's time.

"My name is Splash. I've come a long way, looking for a new home. My family abandoned me. Please, sir, may I find shelter here in this... Magic Kingdom?"

After a moment of contemplation, the while tom snorted ungracefully. "So proper for a kittypet." Splash just blinked as he scratched his chin and sat down.

Briar stepped up. "Soar, I found this cat wandering around in the hunting swamp. It looked like she was hunting in our territory. Trying to take our prey."

The tom, Soar, raised a brow and meowed to Splash, "Your twolegs left you, right? I'm surprised you lasted this long. After all, they've been gone for almost four seasons now. You must be a good hunter."

Splash was very confused. _My housefolk have been gone only a month, not four seasons. Maybe he just hasn't seen any in that time. A whole year without any housefolk? Right...these cats are used to not having any. But wait, how does he know every housefolk is gone?_

"You know where my housefolk went?" It was worth a try. "Maybe I can find my family after all!"

"Haven't you heard?" Soar almost laughed. "They've left the entire earth!"

"What. You mean... there's none left anywhere? How can that be?" Splash held her breath.

Soar just chuckled. "Settle down, kit. The twolegs have left, that's all we know. That's why we have taken over this place. Magic Kingdom. Twolegs may have left it, but they abandoned it so it's ours now."

There was a pause before Soar continued, "And you're looking to shelter here with us? Not a usual request... we're the only cats around for miles. I haven't seen any kittypets for a long time. The other parks still lay abandoned after all."

"Other... parks?"

"Yes, like Epcot, kittypet. The rest of Disney World. As I was saying, I'm pretty sure the Clans here are the only cats left in all of Florida."

"Other Clans?"

"You're like a parrot, aren't you?" Soar rolled his eyes. "All you do is repeat what I say."

Splash's head was spinning. "I'm sorry."

Briar cleared her throat, sitting next to her Clanmate. "There are four Clans in Magic Kingdom. FrontierClan - that's our Clan - AdventureClan, FantasyClan and TomorrowClan."

Splash inhaled. "I've never heard of Clans before."

"Well, I supposed you should probably talk to our leader is you want to join," Soar rumbled. "I'm in favor of it. You seem like you can take care of yourself, even though I can almost see your ribs."

Splash hadn't noticed. She ran her bushy tail along her side. feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Where is Wild anyway?" Briar asked.

"Probably near the cafe, I'd say." The big white tom rose to his paws. He flicked his tail at the younger cats. "Why don't you follow us? And don't worry, we won't claw you or anything."

"Okay," Splash agreed quietly, trying to hide how nervous she was. She followed the two Clan cats outside the building and down several wooden stairs. Around the stairs were cactus plants that seemed to fit the theme of the ride, a small stream and a maze of stone. The reddish rocks that matched the mountain went on for some time until they ended near a pathway that looked very "twoleg"-like. It looked more like civilization now.

Splash was a little baffled, but continued to follow the cats. Tasting the air, she could detect a powerful "FrontierClan" scent emanating from the plants and buildings that were now around them. As they padded across a bridge Splash spotted a lake to the left of her, and to the right, a smaller, curvier river overshadowed by yet another mountain. This mountain looked like it had a tree at the top of it, and there was a waterfall cascading down into an artificial briar patch.

"That's Splash Mountain," Briar explained. "You'd probably fit in there, wouldn't you, _Splash_."

Splash just smiled nervously, and listened to the falling water. She spotted a few ibises and ducks in the water, and understood that this must be some of the prey they ate.

"We're approaching the cafe," Soar meowed, gesturing to a large wooden building. He sniffed. "Yeah, I think Wild is still there. Let's go."

Splash sniffed too, but didn't recognize a scent that she would label "Wild". They all smelled the same to her. She peered over Soar's ears at the building, and spotted the logo with a cartoon twoleg and large letters that said _Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe_. She took a deep breath and followed Soar and Briar through the white pillars and the big double doors.

Inside, dusty tables and chairs were lined up and stacked in an unorderly fashion. Natural light shone through the many windows, but the kitchen on the other side of the huge cafe was shadowed. Splash took a long look around and sneezed at the dusty air and strange scent.

"Wild? Are you here?" Soar jumped up on a table.

"Yes, I'm here." A silky-smooth, feminine voice rose up from the shadowed area, and yellow eyes reflected the sunlight. The she-cat, Wild, strode out of her hiding place. She had black fur and barely-visible silver stripes. Splash found her pretty on the spot, but was a little intimidated by her, since she was the leader and all.

Wild jumped up onto a counter, beckoning the three cats to come closer. Splash looked up at her and politely dipped her head. Briar padded over to stand beside her and did the same. Soar, however, jumped up on the counter to sit beside his leader.

"Wild, my apprentice has found this former kittypet in the hunting swamp. She said she's looking for a place to stay and her twolegs abandoned her."

Wild turned her head to look down at Splash. "Does she think she could find a home here?"

"Y-yes, I hope so. I promise I'll try to fit in." Splash dipped her head again.

Wild snorted. "A kittypet, huh? How would she fit in at all?"

"What's going on?" A male's voice sounded behind Wild. Another tomcat came out of the shadows; he looked a little like Wild, but with white markings instead of stripes and green eyes. He jumped up to sit beside Wild and Soar.

"This little thing came here expecting us to welcome her with open arms," Wild meowed sarcastically.

Splash flinched, not finding her quite as pretty as she did before.

"Come now, Wild," The black and white tom soothed. "We all were kittypets and rogues once, remember? Only a year ago we were following Captain through the swamps looking for a home ourselves. Show a little compassion; this kit just lost her twolegs, you say?"

"That's right," Briar spoke up, dipping her head. "Pine, when I found Splash in the swamp, she had tracked down a vole and cornered it. I had caught it, and it's buried near Big Thunder, but she tracked it all by herself. I think she's a great hunter, honestly. She would've caught that vole if I wasn't there."

Splash smiled gratefully at her acquaintance, but she was still a little scared of what the leader would say next.

"I see," Wild meowed simply.

"Wild, I'm your deputy. I think we should let her stay. The more the merrier, Captain always said."

"Captain's_ not here_," Wild snapped. "We're our own Clan now."

Pine was unphased. "So what do you say? Er, what's your name?"

"Splash, sir."

"Splash. Would you like to make a home with us here in FrontierClan?"

She carefully thought it over. There was no way she would see her housefolk again, and no way she could survive in the wilderness all by herself. If she put it that way, being in a Clan is the only way to guarantee that she would survive at all. So did she really have a choice in the end?

Splash looked up at the three adult cats; the leader, the deputy, and the warrior. Already she respected them and wanted to be accepted by them. And with Briar, maybe things wouldn't be so hard. She already felt that she could trust these cats. Maybe it was because they werere the only ones that have treated her fairly lately.

"Yes, please," she meowed finally.

"Alright," Pine smiled. "It's settled then." Wild just blinked in acceptance. Soar jumped down from the counter and stood in front of the two younger cats.

"Briar, why don't you show our new Clanmate around?"


	6. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

Sunlight shown down through the dark clouds, comfortably warming Splash's pelt. Looking up, the young tabby could make out some blue sky against the smog. The air was warmer, but less thick. Today was a good day, especially after what happened just a few minutes ago.

Splash trotted to catch up with Briar, thinking about how fortunate she is to have found a new home, even though she knew close to nothing about it. The worn concrete path tickled her pads as she ran, fast enough to now slow to a walk beside her companion. The spotted brown she-cat was muttering.

"Figures I would be stuck showing the newbie around. Why couldn't someone else give the tour... like Fox? He's a more friendly kind of guy."

Splash twitched her ears. Briar could have been a little more welcoming, like Pine and Soar were. Wasn't she excited, at least, to have another apprentice in the Clan? Splash sure was. This was all so new to her, but it was fun to explore places unknown to her. Besides, this was her home now. The realization of that filled her with energy, and she ended up skipping a little ahead of Briar.

The two she-cats continued their way down the street, parallel on their right to several old buildings, and to their left an iron fence guarding the large river Splash noticed before. In the distance, right in the middle of the sluggish green water, she could make out a patch of rugged abandoned land. She stopped and turned around to ask her new clanmate.

"What's that over there?"

Briar craned her neck to peer over the fence. "That island? That - was - Tom Sawyer island."

"Was?" Splash echoed, genuinely curious. "What's there?"

Briar shrugged. "Old twoleg stuff I'd guess. No cat has ever been over there for years. FrontierClanners can swim, but who would want to, really? It's too far away. Twolegs used to drive a boat over there, but the boat's gone now."

Splash nodded slowly. She was now looking at the ancient buildings to their right. A few of them had lables she could read, like _Frontierland Shootin' Arcade _and _Country Bear Jamboree_. She wasn't sure at all what those words meant, but didn't ask. The letters were so faded she could barely make them out, and the doors were recently boarded up with wooden planks and caution tape. Splash frowned, as curious as ever.

Eventually there was a break in the buildings, and there was instead a tunnel with a roof that lead to a very different-looking area, with tall colorful objects and sandy-colored buildings overgrown by tropical plants, instead of the worn-down brown buildings of Frontierland. Briar was not going in that direction, instead walking right past it.

"Briar, where's that tunnel lead?" Splash stopped to look back at it, making Briar do the same.

"Adventureland," she replied. "Those cats aren't too friendly with us, so we kind of avoid this shortcut if we can."

"Why's that?"

Briar shrugged, turning back to look at the river. "How should I know? Something about Wild not getting along with Captain."

"Who-"

"Captain is the leader of AdventureClan. Pretty obvious by his name. Before the Clans first started, he was the leader of everybody, cats of all Clans. Then when they split into four, I don't know, I guess Wild got into lots of arguments about territory with him. It's obvious what's Adventureland and what's Frontierland, but I heard that Wild actually wanted Haunted Mansion to belong to FrontierClan."

Briar sat down and licked a paw before continuing. "That's the Haunted Mansion over there."

Splash looked to where she was pointing. Past Tom Sawyer island, obscured by smog stood a large, dark building that looked a bit like a twoleg's home. The sight of it, and the fact that it was called _Haunted_ gave her a chill.

"Of course, Haunted Mansion is somewhat close to Frontierland, isn't it? If you ask me, Wild was right to want it. It's a pretty cool place to hide." Briar shook her head. "But, as the name suggests, there's something rather... spooky about that place. Ghosts or something. Captain, I guess, convinced Wild not to take it. Now our shamans have been investigating it, and-"

Spotting the confused look on Splash's face, Briar sighed.

"Right, the shamans. Forgot to mention those. They like, talk to spirits and can heal the sick. it's really weird. There's one in each Clan. Ours is named Grim."

"That doesn't sound weird," Splash meowed. "My twolegs could heal me by taking me to the vet." _The vet never talked to spirits though..._

Briar rolled her eyes. "They're cats though, not twolegs."

Briar suddenly stiffened, causing Splash to do the same. She could hear rustling beyond the tunnel. Some plants shook, and there was a strange scent in the air. She felt like she was being... watched. Lowering her voice, she squeaked, "Briar, is that-"

"Let's get out of here." The she-cat sprinted off in a blur of ginger and brown. Startled, Splash followed her, and they both ended up under a staircase several feet away from the tunnel. The staircase lead to the deck of another bulding, and underneath it was hollow.

They crouched for a moment, panting in the cramped space. "Why did we run?" Splash whispered.

"An AdventureClan patrol, mouse-brain. I don't want to deal with that."

"Hey! This is my den, get out!"

Splash jumped, accidentally knocking her head on the ceiling. Dizzy, she scrambled out of the hiding place, Briar on her heels. At once, the slender shape that had hissed at them poked her head out. The sunlight revealed her to be a golden tabby with angry brown eyes.

"Oh, sorry Honey," Briar dipped her head. "I forgot you moved your den."

Honey nodded, accepting the apology. "Er, who is this young cat?"

Splash didn't answer right away. Her head hurt, and as Honey pulled herself completely out from under the stairs, she suddenly realized that this cat wasn't slender at all; in fact, her belly stuck out like a pillow. She had never seen a pregnant cat before.

"A kittypet I found in the swamp. Her name is Splash, and Wild said she could stay here in FrontierClan," Briar explained to the queen.

Honey blinked. "Did she?"

"Yeah, I guess she's going to call a meeting later to explain to everyone."

She nodded, studying Splash carefully. Splash dipped her head politely, still in awe of how big the yellow she-cat looked. Were the kits due soon?

Honey continued, "So... were you two running from AdventureClanners?"

Briar looked over her shoulder. "I thought I saw one."

"Yeah, best to keep out of their way. I wonder what Captain will say at the Gathering about Haunted Mansion."

"Oh, that's right. I forgot to explain Gatherings," Briar looked at Splash.

Honey sat on her haunches, taking a moment to make herself comfortable with her swollen belly. "Gatherings are when all four Clans come together. It happens monthly, when the moon is full and the smog reflects the moon's glow. We gather by the Castle in peace and share things news and the like."

"With the recent events, I hope Captain's fur isn't in a bunch," Briar added.

Splash nodded, feeling respect towards Clan culture. "I think I'll like living in a Clan."

Honey smiled. "I know you will. I love it here. In fact, if it weren't for Captain and Wild, my kits would probably have been born in the forest somewhere. I hate the forest."

"Did you... used to be a kittypet like me?"

"Yes, I was. In fact, my old collar is in my den." Honey sighed, trailing off in nostalgia.

"Briar! Who's that?" A loud voice sounded behind Splash and made her jump. The turned to see a russet colored tom about the same size and her and Briar. Behind him was another tom, a big brown one with narrow eyes.

"Fox, keep it down," the huge cat rumbled angrily. "You're so jumpy today since the sun is out."

"Sorry." Fox's white-tipped tail sunk.

"This is Splash," Briar explained yet again. "She's going to stay with us."

Fox sniffed the silver tabby. "Why?"

"...Why not? Wild will explain," Briar hissed. She turned to Splash. "Isn't my brother annoying?"

"Just a little," Splash chuckled, causing the tom to scoff.

"Honey, dear," the big tom interrupted. "What's this you said about kittypets? I told you not to talk about twolegs." He looked at her carefully and flicked his tail.

Honey blinked. "Bear, I was just explaining how we used to be kittypets too-"

"The past is behind us," Bear's fur bristled. "Never speak of that horrible place again!"

Honey and the three apprentices flinched in unison. Splash was a little frightened of Bear, and assumed that he was just an overprotective mate and father to the unborn kittens. He sure did have a booming voice on him. Looking at Fox, she saw that he was kind of the opposite; skinny and twitchy, with a high-pitched voice. Funny, she thought, how such different cats can live together in one Clan.

"Fine, I won't." Growing angry, Honey turned and slunk back under the stairs.

"Aw, don't be like that," Bear whined, following her trail ungracefully with his broad shoulders. "I'm not really angry..."

"Wow!" Fox jumped to his paws. "They're so weird. Let's get out of here!"

The three apprentices quickly left the scene of the bickering adults, and began to make their way west towards the Haunted Mansion.


End file.
